The Babson College Zero Waste Challenge

The founder and past president of the MacDowell Company, a construction and landscape design firm, Roy MacDowell is now the principal of Baystone Development. In addition to being a recipient of a Massachusetts Historical Commission award, Roy MacDowell is a former trustee of Babson College in Massachusetts.

As part of its efforts to reduce its environmental impact and promote sustainability, Babson College has implemented a number of initiatives that challenge participants to live more environmentally-friendly lifestyles. Its annual Zero Waste Challenge, which tasks participants to produce as little waste as possible over the course of a week, is among these efforts.

During the week, participants must place every non-recyclable item of waste they produce into a clear bag while recycling or composting anything they can when they have the opportunity. This includes single-use water bottles and tissues but does not extend to other waste items containing bodily fluids. Participants must attach the bag to the outside of their person. The aim is to demonstrate the true weight of the waste each participant discards during an average week.

Supporting the Commercial Real Estate Industry - NAIOP

 

Roy MacDowell serves as a principal of Baystone Development, a real estate development company in Weston, Massachusetts. A committed real estate professional, Roy MacDowell is a trustee of the Commercial Real Estate Development Association (NAIOP).

Established in 1967 as the National Association of Industrial & Office Properties, the Commercial Real Estate Development Association has more than 18,000 members throughout North America. Dedicated to the principles of diversity, research, advocacy, education, and networking, the association is open to anyone involved in the commercial real estate industry, from investors to owners. The key to the association’s long-term success is the NAIOP Research Foundation, which helps the industry respond to and fulfill the needs of its communities.

The NAIOP Research Foundation creates and supports experts in the field in two different ways. First, the foundation offers an annual research grant program. Open to proposals that fulfill each year’s research topics, the average grant ranges from $10,000 to $15,000.

Second, the NAIOP Research Foundation offers a Distinguished Fellows Program, which is open to commercial real estate industry members who have demonstrated extensive knowledge or experience. Fellows give presentations during NAIOP events, serve on committees, and write articles for NAIOP publications.

Roy S. MacDowell, Jr.

Roy S. MacDowell, Jr., manages the vision and strategic planning for Baystone Development. Roy is responsible for establishing the overall strategy of the firm and plays a central role in the evaluation of new opportunities, project management and execution. He is responsible for reviewing and approving all major decisions.

Roy has a 30+ year history of success in real estate investment, development and management, having personally developed and/or permitted more than 2 million square feet of commercial space, including more than 3,500 dwellings. He served as a Director on the board of Sterling Bank during a period when it grew from $250 million to over $1 billion in total assets before being sold to Fleet Bank. He is the founder of The MacDowell Company, Inc., a leading landscape architectural and construction firm.

Roy served as President of the Board of Trustees of The Rivers School in Weston, MA and as a Trustee of the Children’s Hospital Boston Trust Board. He also served as a Trustee at Babson College, where he studied as an undergraduate. Roy is a past member of the Board of the Massachusetts Chapter of NAIOP and an Overseer of the Anti-Defamation League (ADL) New England. 

rmacdowell@baystonedevelopment.com